Issue with iTunes - Help needed

[Jonny Come Lately]

The other day I bought a new copy of Neil Young's On The Beach album on CD. I was delighted to finally own this album and as soon as I got the chance I loaded it up onto my computer to get it onto my iTunes library.

Unfortunately, when I went to play the album, starting with the opening song Walk On, an unpleasant fuzzy sound accompanied the music, rendering it virtually unlistenable. I tried the other songs on the same album, and this sound was on all of them. I deleted the album from my iTunes and then yesterday tried to upload it again, but even on playing it in iTunes without uploading, this awful noise was still there.

Just to check, after my first attempt at uploading the album I played it on the home stereo system, where it played without issue. There was certainly none of the fuzzy sound I heard when I tried to play it on the computer.

I have searched for help with this issue but haven't found anything helpful - I was wondering whether anyone on here has had similar experiences and could help me get around this?

I have had similar experiences before, for instance with Led Zeppelin IV (but not with any of their other albums, I was lucky there because it was in another family member's iTunes library and I was able to transfer it across from there) and I think with a couple of other albums too, but not with Neil Young - during the last six months I have uploaded Tonight's The Night and Weld on to my computer with no problems. I sure would like to be able to get this album into my iTunes and playing normally, so any help with this would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Jonny

[Brooke]

I've had a similar experience with a cd I bought on amazon of Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. It worked fine in the cd player, but when I uploaded it to my itunes to put on ipod, the static rendered it un listenable. I never thought to tell amazon about it......but they would probably have replaced it. Been too long ago now.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

For either one of you, if you are using PCs and not Macs or Chromebooks, how does it sound on Windows Media Player? If it sounds fine there, then the issue is with iTunes.

[Jonny Come Lately]

Thanks for your suggestion VA - I am a PC user so that's a good test for me. I've just tried playing the CD in Windows Media Player and it has the same fuzzy sound/static rendering it unlistenable there too, so it seems to be more than an issue with just iTunes. The problem Brooke describes sounds exactly like the trouble I've had so I guess there's a similar issue for both CDs.

I bought the CD from a shop last Friday and still have the receipt. Maybe I should return it? I probably won't be able to do so for a couple of days though, probably not until Saturday.

I suppose an alternative approach would be to download the album off iTunes - I'd rather not pay for the album twice if I can avoid it but if there's no other way then I'll take it as this is definitely a album I want in my music library.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

If it plays well in a regular stereo, it may be that your CD drive in your computer is bad (doesn't copy well). Do you have another computer to try it on? Do other CDs play well in your CD drive?

[Jonny Come Lately]

Unfortunately I don't have another computer with me that I can try to play it on. It's possible that the CD drive may be to blame but this isn't an issue I've encountered often before, over the past six or seven months I've uploaded a number of CDs onto my computer and have had no problems. Any previous trouble with static affecting the sound were all a while back.

Luckily I do however have another two CDs with me - the two discs of LROOE. Just to check I put disc one in my CD drive and played How Long in Windows Media Player and it sounded absolutely fine, just as it does in my iTunes.

[WalshFan88]

It has to be the disc.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

I agree with Austin...

[Brooke]

I've put lots of cds on my itunes too and never had the problem either. Must be the cd.

[WalshFan88]

It probably has to do with the way it was burnt and probably the type of discs. some CDs are not computer friendly, just like you can burn some CDs that wont play on cars/stereos.

[Jonny Come Lately]

Okay, looks like it's definitely a computer issue then. Thanks your help and support with my problems over this.

I may well have the chance to return the CD to the shop tomorrow, do you think that would be the best course of action? Or should I just accept that it won't work on my computer and download it. I rate the album highly enough to pay for it twice if absolutely necessary, though obviously I would rather not.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

I would try returning it, just in case it's a defect some sort.

[Jonny Come Lately]

Thanks VA, I should be able to return it this weekend - I checked my receipt and it said I could return within four weeks, that should be fine then.

Sorry for the delay in responding. I haven't seemed to have had much time to read the forum this week.